Owens to host open house at The Source

Owens Community College’s Learning Center at The Source will host an open house to showcase the educational programs, services and resources available at the school’s Downtown location.

The event, which is open to the public, is set for noon to 3 p.m. July 31 at The Source, 1301 Monroe St.

Tours will be available and representatives will be on hand to answer questions about academic programs and resources available within the schools of Arts and Sciences, Business, Health Sciences, Nursing, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness and Technology.

“A lot of people know they want to go back to school, but are not sure what to study,” said Cory Stine, Owens’ director of admissions. “There will be representatives from all six of our academic schools, so prospective students can comparison shop.”

Staff from admissions, academic advising, career services, testing services, disability services, veterans services and Oserve (records, registration and finance) will also be available to answer questions about new student orientation, placement testing and more.

Willie Williams, director of the Learning Center at The Source, proposed the open house after talking to high school guidance counselors and parents who didn’t realize there was an Owens location Downtown.

“A large population still has no idea we are located inside The Source,” Williams said. “We want to make sure everyone who wants to participate in or even consider college knows we have this location. I just want people to be aware.”

Willie Williams, director of the Learning Center at The Source.

The Learning Center at The Source was established in 2007 in part because many people living in the Downtown area were interested in attending Owens but did not have reliable transportation to the campus in Perrysburg, Williams said. The location features eight academic classrooms, three computer labs and one nursing lab, all with state-of-the-art technology, according to the school’s website.

“A group of community members thought it’d be a great idea to bring Owens to Toledo,” Williams said. “The Source is centrally located and already works with the unemployed and underemployed. We can work hand-in-hand with that. Education and employment working hand-in-hand.”

Organizers also hope the open house helps prospective nontraditional students feel more at ease in an educational environment, Stine said.

“Adult learners are often afraid to take the steps to go back to school, whether because they’re not sure where to go or what to do or nervous because maybe it’s been a while since they were in school,” Stine said. “This way, we open it up for them to see the location, meet the staff and become a little more comfortable.”

Attendees need only to bring an open mind, Williams said.

“I want people to bring an open mind about higher education,” Williams said. “We will provide them with a tour of the facility and general information about the programs we have to offer and, most of all, let them know we are here to serve our community. We just want to make sure our community knows we are here to serve them and that we have this centrally located position inside The Source. People can start here, build a solid foundation of higher education and what’s expected of them and then transition to the Toledo campus.”

Stine said he hoped attendees come away from the open house with a better understanding of their next educational steps.

“I hope when people leave they know more about the process and are comfortable making the decision either to go back to school or to wait or to explore different options,” Stine said. “The biggest thing we want people to know is there are options out there. If they are looking for a better job or looking for a better option, we might be one solution that can help. We just want to help people to feel more comfortable about the whole thing.”

All attendees are encouraged to visit the check-in and information location at the entrance upon arrival.

For more information about the open house, call (567) 661-2732 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, ext. 2732, or visit www.owens.edu/openhouse.

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